As Lambs to Slaughter
by HecateA
Summary: Peter isn't sure why he's called to Godric's Hollow, but James and Lily have never been more certain. Oneshot. Written for the House Competition, Round 5 Standard.


**Author's Note:** As soon as I got the idea for this story, I slapped my brain and said "Bad brain. Now tell me more." Thanks to Aya and Crissie for the betaing, feedback, and encouragement!

**Disclaimer: **The following characters belong to J.K. Rowling, and this story derives from her original works, storylines, and world. Please do not sue me, I can barely pay tuition.

**Warnings: **NA

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**House:** Hufflepuff

**Role:** Stand-in

**Category:** Round 5, Standard

**Prompt:** [Character] Peter Pettigrew

**Word Count:** 1284

**Stacked with: **Hogwarts House Cup; MC4A; Spring Bingo; Snicket Fence

**Individual Challenge(s): **Gryffindor MC (x4); Bow Before the Blacks; Brush; Fall Leaves; Seeds; Yellow Ribbon; Yellow Ribbon Redux; Neurodivergent; Tiny Terror (Y); Click Bait It; Short Jog (Y)

**Representation(s): **ADHD James Potter

**Bonus challenge(s): **Second Verse (Pear-Shaped); Chorus (Not a Lamp); Short Jog and Tiny Terror (Y)

**Tertiary bonus challenge(s):** NA

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_**Spring Bingo entry information:**_

**Space Address: **4E

**Prompt: **Sheep/Lamb

**_Shipping War entry information:_**

**Ship (Team):**Lily Evans and James Potter (Patronus Pair)

**List (Prompt):** NA

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**As Lambs to Slaughter**

He was well aware that his heart should be beating in his throat right now, but he fabricated what courage he lacked to keep his composure as he'd been shown. When he Apparated to Godric's Hollow, it was with a head held high, shoulders as relaxed as ever, and a clear mind.

He couldn't help but look for James or Lily or Sirius as he walked past the park; it was a well-established afternoon routine for one of them to tire Harry out at there before putting him down for a nap. Seeing the park empty, especially on such an unexpectedly beautiful autumn day, was odd. He hadn't been around much recently, under the pretense that his mother had taken ill, but he supposed that going into hiding had changed his friends' everyday routine, even if they hadn't technically left town. Otherwise, the sleepy village hadn't changed much, spare all the Muggle Halloween decorations that had been put up.

He heard the radio playing from the kitchen as he let himself in, past the garden gate, and up the path to the front door. He paused for a minute and knocked. Lily answered a moment later, wand raised. She lowered it and smiled when she recognized him.

"Peter," she smiled, wrapping her arms around him for one of those quick and warm hugs she specialized in. "Come on in…"

Inside, James was holding Harry upside down—making him laugh, tuckering him out.

"Who's that, Harry?" James said when he saw Peter, grinning up at him. "Is that Uncle Wormy?"

"Womy," Harry echoed.

"Hello," Peter said, kneeling. James put him down, and Harry tottered towards him, falling a few steps short of Wormtail, but at just the right place for Lily to catch him. She scooped him up and dropped him into Peter's arms. He got up and kissed Harry's cheek.

"Nice pajamas, Harry. Cute little pumpkins on there. Are you being good?" Peter asked. Harry babbled back something incomprehensible—James had once said that Harry was getting pretty good at talking for his age, but babbled nonsense when he wanted to get sassy. Apparently naptime was not in the cards today.

Lily held out her arms for the baby, and blew a raspberry on his cheek before carrying him upstairs.

"I'll be down soon, I promise," Lily said. She held her hand out and James tossed her Harry's stuffed dog to her as she went up the stairs. When his hand was free, he ran it through his hair. It hit Peter that he'd only seen James look this tired a few times—despite all the all-nighters they'd shared to become Animagi, to finish the map, wrap up forgotten assignments, keep Remus company…

"How's your mum?" James asked.

"She's okay," Peter said. "I know I haven't been around much, but she can't be on her own for long…"

"Parents are important," James said. "Don't be sorry at all. I'm really thankful you took the time to come…"

"Don't mention it," Peter said. His nerves suddenly made themselves known again. Why? Why had he been called to Godric's Hollow?

"Where are the others?" he asked.

"Sirius should turn up any minute," James said.

"Remus?" Peter asked.

James shook his head. "In Wales on Order business. We'll fill him in later."

Peter nodded and ran the possibilities through his head. If this was a confrontation about his many absences, an ambush because they'd grown suspicious, if he'd leaked too much or the wrong thing to the Dark Lord… Surely, they would have breached the topic with Remus and Sirius around. Harry wouldn't be anywhere close. Still, he prepared his ready-made excuses, his long rambling speech about fear and threats that his family would be tortured and killed… Just in case.

They sat down in the kitchen and James was just making tea when Sirius came in through the kitchen door. He plopped down his motorcycle helmet on the counter.

"Merlin, you really did get that motor to get quieter," James said.

"No better motivation than getting my godfathership revoked. I think Lily would've actually murdered me if it'd woken up Harry another time," Sirius said. "Wormtail, how are you? How's your mum?"

"Fine," he said. He'd always been quiet, and they'd always let him be, which was quite useful now. The less he said, the less his friends pried.

"Lily made pecan bars," James remembered suddenly, reaching into the fridge. "She's been meaning to make you some for ages—said she finally cracked the perfect technique to caramelize the nuts or something… You can ask her about it, she's quite proud of herself."

Sirius sat down next to him. He was giving out the same tired energy as James.

Lily waltzed into the kitchen, taking deep and measured breaths as if she was about to take an exam.

"Hey, Lily," Sirius said.

"Why hello, third husband," Lily smiled, briefly running her hand against Sirius's shoulder.

"Remus is fourth today?" James asked.

"For simplicity's sake, I've boiled down the ranking system to order of appearance," Lily said.

"I'm glad I'm number one," he said, kissing her forehead before bringing tea to the table. Lily grabbed the cups and a plate of desserts and they sat around the kitchen table. Peter's mouth tasted like parchment; dry and pasty and overall disgusting.

"We have a favour to ask," James said seriously. He played with his wedding ring—one of his rarer tics, but a very telling onet.

"We wouldn't ask if we didn't… if we didn't feel like we had to," Lily said.

"Did you need me to watch the baby?" Peter asked.

"In a way," James said. "We need you to watch us all…"

"Lily should explain," Sirius said, crossing his arms. "She's the best at charms, and all."

Lily nodded and pried her hands away from James so that she could gesture as she explained, as she always did.

"Okay," Lily said. "Peter, have you ever heard of a Fidelius charm?"

If he'd been in his rat shape, his ears would have twitched on their own accord at the word.

"No," Peter said. He let the word hang in the air for a moment, to see if any of them lunged at it for the lie that it was. They didn't. They believed him—of course they did.

"That's okay," she said reassuringly. That too brought back memories of all the tutoring she'd done. "It's very old magic."

Lily went on to lay out the charm, exactly as the Dark Lord had two months earlier. Somewhere along the line, James' energy got too pent-up and he got up and started pacing the kitchen. Eventually he came to a halt behind Lily, leaving one hand on her shoulder and playing with her hair with the other.

"Sirius is our Secret Keeper now," James said. "That's who Dumbledore suggested, and all."

"Right," Sirius said. "But I'm the obvious choice. They wouldn't be able to pry this secret out of my cold, dead hands, but still—it would be better for someone else to do it now, just to be safe."

"To do what?" Peter asked. He played dumb, he played curious. But his heart was beating in his throat—excitement, this time. He had to hear them—any of them—say it to truly believe it.

"To be our Secret Keeper," James said. "I know you have so much going on right now, so I understand if you can't."

"We both do. We wouldn't ask if we didn't agree with Sirius, and think it was best for Harry, for us…" Lily said.

"Would you consider being our Secret Keeper?" James asked.

Wormtail smiled. He hoped that his smile came off as pleased and eager to help.

"Gladly," he said.


End file.
